Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02280162 1999-08-09
-WO 98/36210 PCT/BR98/00008
A FLUID FLOW DISTRIBUTOR
Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a fluid flow
distributor to be used with a steam trap of the
type used in fluid feeding pipes, particularly
those for steam feeding.
Background of the Invention
The piping plants generally use many valves and
devices for blocking, draining or directing fluid
flow, as well as accessories for interconnecting
these elements, which may present leak points.
The steam feeding pipes are provided with steam
traps which operate for removing the condensate
from the main steam line of the plant, carrying
this condensate to the environment or to condensate
return lines of said plant.
In the known constructions of steam piping plants,
the mounting of steam traps to the main steam line
connecting the latter to the condensate return line
or to the atmosphere, requires a large amount of
components and consequently of replacement parts in
the installations, as well as special mounting
tools which, besides making difficult the
installation and maintenance tasks, results in a
high cost for installing and operating said plants.
These difficulties of installation, maintenance and
operation increase when the work must be carried
out in places of difficult access in the main line.
Furthermore, due to the complexity of the
conventional installations, it is not always
possible to place the steam traps in their best
working position, jeopardizing the performance
thereof.
Disclosure of the Invention
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It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a fluid flow distributor, particularly
for mounting a steam trap in a steam feeding pipe
plant which, besides making easier the
installation, maintenance and operation tasks in
said plant, reduces the number of components used
in the installation of said steam traps in a plant,
thereby reducing the costs with equipment, and with
the installation, maintenance and operation
thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide a steam piping plant with a fluid flow
distributor which presents the above mentioned
advantages and which further allows an installation
of steam traps in the main line of the steam piping
plant with an optimized positioning of the steam
trap, even in places of difficult access.
An additional object of the present solution is to
provide a fluid flow distributor which, besides the
advantages above, allows the standardization of
installations with less and simplified tools and
facilitates the access and replacement of the steam
traps of said plant.
These and others objectives are achieved through a
fluid flow distributor to, be used with a steam
trap, comprising a single valve body which
includes: a steam inlet, operatively connected to a
steam feeding pipe; a steam outlet, operatively
connected to the steam trap inlet and in selective
fluid communication with the steam inlet; a
condensate inlet, operatively connected to the
steam trap outlet; a condensate outlet, which is
open to the outside of the single valve body and
which is provided with fluid communication with the
condensate inlet thereof; and a first valve
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element, provided in the fluid communication
between the steam inlet and the steam outlet of the
single valve body, in order to selectively allow
and block the fluid communication between the steam
feeding pipe and the steam trap.
This construction allows a standardization of
installation, because the whole connection of the
trap with the plant is carried out through the
single valve body.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs_
The invention will be described below, based on the
attached drawings, in which:
Figure 1 represents, schematically and partially,
the installation of a steam trap in a steam plant
provided with a steam feeding line and a condensate
return line, according to the prior art;
Figure 2 represents, schematically and in a
longitudinal section, a fluid flow distributor
construction, according to the present invention;
Figure 3 represents, schematically and in a
longitudinal section, another arrangement for the
valve elements of the fluid flow distributor,
according to the present invention; and
Figure 4 represents, schematically and in a
perspective view, a steam trap and an element for
connecting it to the fluid flow distributor of the
present invention;
Best Mode of Carrvina Out the Invention
The fluid flow distributor of the present invention
will be described according to the attached
drawings for a steam plant having a steam feeding
pipe 1, to which is coupled at least one steam trap
10 which transfers the condensate present in said
steam feeding pipe to the environment or also to a
condensate return pipe 2, each steam trap 10 being
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connected to the steam feeding pipe 1 and to the
condensate return pipe 2 through appropriate
connecting elements, according to the prior art.
In the steam plant construction provided with steam
traps of the prior art (figure 1), between the
steam feeding pipe 1 and the condensate return pipe
2 is mounted, through appropriate connecting
elements, at least one steam trap 10 having an
inlet 11 and an outlet 12, operatively and
respectively connected to the steam feeding pipe 1
and to the condensate return pipe 2, through
appropriate connections.
According to the illustrations, the mounting of
each steam trap 10 to the steam feeding pipe 1 and
to the condensate return pipe 2 is made through the
provision of valve elements downstream and upstream
of each steam trap, said valve members selectively
allowing and blocking the fluid communication
between the steam feeding pipe 1 and the condensate
return pipe 2.
In the construction illustrated in figure 1, a
first valve 3, which is normally open, is provided
upstream the steam trap 10, in the fluid
communication between the steam feeding pipe 1 and
said steam trap 10, in order to selectively allow
and block said fluid communication. In this
construction, downstream the steam trap 10, in the
condensate return pipe 2, are provided second and
third valves 4, 5, said second valve 4 being
normally open, in order to allow the selective
fluid communication between the steam trap 10 and
the condensate return pipe 2, while the third valve
5 is in its normally closed state.
In this embodiment, the closed condition of the
second valve 4 and the open condition of the third
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valve 5 is selectively obtained for draining the
steam trap 10 or for checking the operation of the
latter, e.g. by discharging to the atmosphere.
According to the illustrations, the steam plant is
further provided in its steam feeding pipe 1 with a
fourth valve 6 , which is normally closed and which
selectively allows and blocks the fluid
communication between the steam feeding pipe 1 and
the outside environment, for cleaning and/or
draining said pipe.
This construction presents the previously discussed
drawbacks.
According to the present invention, the connection
of each steam trap 10 to the steam feeding pipe 1
is made through a fluid flow distributor, which
comprises a single valve body 20, which is
prismatic, for example, and to which is mounted a
steam trap 10 through a sealing connection and
screws, said single valve body 20 having a steam
inlet 21, which is operatively connected to the
steam feeding pipe 1, and a steam outlet 22, which
is operatively connected to the inlet 11 of the
steam trap 10 and in selective fluid communication
with said steam inlet 21.
The single valve body 20 is~further provided with a
condensate inlet 23, which is operatively connected
to the autlet 12 of the steam trap 10, and a
condensate outlet 25, which is open to the outside
of the single valve body 20 and provided with fluid
communication with the condensate inlet 23 thereof.
In the illustrated construction, the condensate
outlet 24 is connectable to the condensate return
pipe 2.
According to the invention, a first valve element
31, which is normally open and provided at the
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fluid communication between the steam inlet 21 and
the steam outlet 22 of the single valve body 20,
selectively allows the fluid communication between
the steam feeding pipe 1 and the steam trap 10,
during a normal operation condition of said steam
trap 10 and allowing the blocking of this fluid
communication in an inoperative condition of said
steam trap 10, such as for removing it from the
distributor being described.
According to the illustrations in figures 2 to 4,
the single valve body 20 of the fluid flow
distributor of the present invention is further
provided with a second valve element 32, which is
normally opened and provided in the fluid
communication between the condensate inlet 23 and
the condensate outlet 24 of the single valve body
20, in order to selectively allow the fluid
communication between the steam trap 10 and the
condensate return pipe 2, during the normal
operation condition of the steam trap 10,
interrupting said fluid communication, for example
during an inoperative condition of the steam trap
10, such as for removing it from the distributor
being described, or for checking the operation of
said steam trap 10.
In the illustrated construction, the single valve
body 20 further presents a third valve element 33,
which is normally closed and provided in the fluid
communication between the condensate inlet 23 , and
a condensate drain outlet 25, which is open to the
outside of the single valve body 20, in order to
allow said fluid communication in the situations in
which the second valve element 32 is blocking the
fluid communication between the condensate inlet 23
and the condensate outlet 24 of the single valve
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body 20, the steam trap 10 being in its operative
condition, and in order to block said communication
during the normal operation of said steam trap 10.
In the illustrated construction, the single valve
body 20 further presents a cleaning and/or draining
outlet 26, which is open to the outside of said
single valve body 20 and in selective fluid
communication with the steam inlet 21 thereof. In a
constructive option, the fluid communication
between the steam feeding pipe 1 and the cleaning
outlet 26 is selectively allowed by a fourth valve
element 34, which is normally closed and provided
at the fluid communication between the steam inlet
21 and the~cleaning outlet 26 of the single valve
body 20.
According to the illustrations, all the valve
elements are the same and of the type which is
manually and independently operated from the
outside of the single valve body 20 and the steam
trap 10 being mounted to single valve body 20
through a connecting sealing element 40. However,
other constructions are possible within the concept
described, using for example one, two or three
valve elements, which may optionally be similar,
with the number of valve elements being defined in
function of inlets and outlets provided at the
single valve body and the amount of inlets and
outlets to be controlled by the valve elements . In
another construction, not illustrated, a single
valve element allows and blocks the selective fluid
communication between the steam inlet 21 and the
steam outlet of the single valve body 20 and the
cleaning outlet 26; and another valve element
allows and blocks the selective fluid communication
between the condensate inlet 23 and the condensate
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outlet 24 and the condensate drain 25 of the single
valve body 20, in a construction in which all of
said inlets and outlets are provided at the single
valve body.
Figure 3 illustrates a shape variation for the
single valve body 20, in which the valve elements
31, 32, 33 and 34, the steam inlet 21 an the
condensate outlet 24 are radially placed on a same
plane, the condensate drain outlet 25 and the
cleaning outlet 26 being axially located, making
possible the internal machining of the single valve
body 20.
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